Joy Best

I was encouraged this summer in the whole topic of fasting by talking to Sam Owasu, a black pastor who spoke at our National Gathering in Penticton. He was trained to fast in Ghana where he grew up. He said he never speaks at Sunday gatherings having eaten. He said he’d just feel all plugged up, not able to hear God very well.  He was trained by a pastor who thought it was good to only eat one meal a day.  The idea was about embracing our desperation, that it is actually an advantage to the Lord’s kingdom being built in us. Embracing weakness and desperation rather than trying to avoid it. That’s the hard thing about fasting, you are so weak…and cold!

The next day I was at my sister’s house and there I read a book by Jentezen Franklin called “Fasting”.  He used the metaphor of a lover who was lovesick for his loved one and so had lost his appetite.  That is the best description of a positive reason to fast I have heard.  Inspired by him, I spent the first 3 days of Sept. doing a juice fast.  I actually felt this time that I heard from God…it helped me to focus on my bridegroom and listen for him rather than just gutting it out and getting through!

As I listened to His heart for the next season, here is what I felt He said,  ”Your heavenly father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”Matt. 6:32,33 NLT.  The Message puts it this way, “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.” The kingdom of God coming to this earth is all about his generosity being poured out, given away. What I felt he was saying to me as I took time out and listened, was simply “share”. Put your focus on giving out, sharing what you have, open your door to give rather than locking it to keep your stuff safe. Consider this a joy. Be overjoyed when you get a chance to give away.  Think of this as a privilege, it’s what you were born for.

I felt the instruction was for this time in history. It is a time of financial downturn in our country and the world, but we are not to be people of poverty, and are not to get stuck in a poverty mindset, but we are to be people who always have something to give.  Whether it is produce from my garden (at least 1 million pumpkins this year), a smile, an encouragement from God, money, some of the gifts God has given me that I lend a hand with.  It can be whatever I have at the moment, but the idea is to have a generous heart, that is looking for ways to have the privilege of giving.

What happened for me the first 3 days of Sept. was as I let my body take a break from normal amounts of food, my father fed me a different kind of banquet, a wonderful banquet of his truth. Delicious!!!!!